Late Pliocene age for the Atacama Desert: Implications for the desertification of western South America

Research Article| January 01, 2002 Late Pliocene age for the Atacama Desert: Implications for the desertification of western South America Adrian J. Hartley; Adrian J. Hartley 1Department of Geology and Petroleum Geology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Guillermo Chong Guillermo Chong 2Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2002) 30 (1): 43–46. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2002)030<0043:LPAFTA>2.0.CO;2 Article history received: 04 Apr 2001 rev-recd: 22 Aug 2001 accepted: 12 Sep 2001 first online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share MailTo Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Adrian J. Hartley, Guillermo Chong; Late Pliocene age for the Atacama Desert: Implications for the desertification of western South America. Geology 2002;; 30 (1): 43–46. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2002)030<0043:LPAFTA>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract The Atacama Desert forms one of the major hyperarid deserts of the world. Previous studies suggest that desertification commenced at 14 Ma during global climate desiccation. Sedimentologic data from middle Miocene to upper Pliocene successions in the modern Atacama Desert indicate that a semiarid climate persisted from 8 to 3 Ma, punctuated by a phase of increased aridity at ca. 6 Ma. As such, hyperaridity did not commence until the late Pliocene. Implications are (1) that the rain shadow generated by the Andean Cordillera has had a minor influence on climate change, and (2) that the upwelling, north- flowing, cold Humboldt Current, although important in establishing the generally arid climate of western South America, did not control the shift to hyperaridity. The formation of the hyperarid Atacama Desert in the late Pliocene accompanied the development of the current phase of aridification in the Sahara and Namib Deserts and is attributed to a phase of global climate cooling. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.